Fireproof arch.



E. P. FITZPATRICK.

Patentci Fab. l, 19M).

FIREPROOF ARCH.

APPLIGATIQN FILED MAYG, 1909.

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IED STA We EUGENE F. FITZPA'IRICK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIREPROOF ARCI-I.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.,

Application filed May 6, 1909. Serial No. 494,218.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'l, EUGENE F. Firzrn'rmon, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and State ot' New York, have invented a new andImproved Fireproof Arch, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to arches used more particularly in lire-proofwork, a more par ticular purpose being to provide a very simpleconstruction of arch made in two pieces, each provided with an airspace, usually designated as a vacuum, and each piece being furtherprovided with means whereby said pieces may be connected firmly togetherwhen in position.

My invention further relates to embedding in the arch certain metallicmembers for reinforcing and strengthening the same, without materiallyincreasing the weight ot' the arch.

Reference is to be had to thc accompanying drawings forming a part otthis speciication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both views, and in which- Figure 1 is aperspective showing two I- beams, and intermediate the latter a numberof tile sections locked together so as to form my improved arch; andFig. 2 is a perspective of one of the tile sections removed.

I-beams are shown at 3, et, and may be ot usual construction. A toppanel 5 and a bottom panel 6 are connected together by a side panel 7 atOne of their ends and are integral at the other end, thereby forming anarch having a general wedge shape, indicated in Fig. 2. The panel 5 isprovided with a netting 8 oit heavy iron. or steel wire embeddedcentrally within it. A number ot rods 9 of metal, preferably steel oriron, are embedded within the panel 6 and extend throughout the entirewidth of the panel, coming out flush with the edges thereof.

At 10 and 11 are panels analogous to the panels 5, 6, 4the samebeingconnected together by a side panel 12. The panel 11 is providedwith rods 12a embedded within it and extending practically the entirewidth, and the panel 10 is provided with a netting 10l embeddedcentrally within it. Some ot the tile sections thus formed are providedwith tongues 13 and others with grooves 14, the tongues mating thegrooves, as will be understood from Fig. 1. The tile sections thusformed are provided with Wedge shaped openings 15, 1G.

At 17 are .cross rods which extend directly through the tile sectionsand serve to hold the l-beams together so as to exert pressure endwiseagainst the tile sections.

Each wedge-shaped opening 15, 16 constitutes, when the arch is in place,an air space or so-called vacuum, the purpose of which is to preventundue travel of heat through the arch in case of lire. A building havinga large proportion of such arches is therefore to that extent renderedmore nearly lire-proof than would otherwise be the case, other thingsbeing equal.

It will be noted that there isa direct coaction between the cross rods17 and the twopart arch above described in that the tension of the rodsholds the two pieces of the arch in proper position, and any directvertical strain upon the arch, especially adjacent to its middle, istaken up directly by the cross rods.

The operation of my device is as follows: An even number of the tilesections are grouped together in pairs, as indicated in Fig. 1, thetongue 13 ot one tile section mating the groove 14- of the opposite tilesection. The under panels 7, 12 are fitted against the I-beams 3, 4, andare of suiiicient width to fit neatly into the same. As each tongue 13lits into the groove 1&1, and as the I-beams are prevented from movingapart by reason of the cross rods 17, the tile sections are locked veryirmly in position, and any weight resting upon the center of the archthus vformed can only increase the pressure of the tile sections againstthe I-beanis. Moreover, the strain thus thrown upon the metallic rods 9,12a is in the general direction oi' the length ci these rods, and thenettings 8, 10a are so distributed as to strengthen the upper panels 5,10 to a remarkable extent. The strength and stability of the arch areincreased because of the fact that the rods 9 extend out into the tongue18, thereby specifically strengthening this tongue.

The arch when constructed as above described is comparatively deep atits ends and shallower adjacent to its middle portion, having thus onits under side a true arch shape. This formation enables the parts todistribute a weight, and especially a weight resting in the directmiddle of the arch,

in various directions favorable to the strength of the arch.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as nevtT and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

l. `In an arch construction, a pair of supporting members, each havinggenerally the form of a truncated Wedge and provided with a thinportion, said supporting members being so positioned that said thinportions engage each other at the proximate center of the arch, one ofsaid supporting members being provided With a tongue and the other Witha groove mating said tongue, said supporting member With said tonguebeing provided With reinforcing members Which extend out into saidtongue.

2. In an arch construction, a pair of supporting members, each havinggenerally the form of a truncated Wedge and provided With a thinportion, said supporting members being so positioned that said thinportions engage each other at the proximate center of the arch, one ofsaid supporting members being provided With a tongue and the other Witha groove mating said tongue, said portion provided with said tonguecomprising an upper panel and a lower panel separated by an air space,and reinforcing members extending through said lower panel and into saidtongue.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE F. FITZPATRIGK Witnesses VVALTON HARRISON, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

